Chapter 78: Lock the Bamboo Horse, Shatter the War Soul, Win the First Incense!

On the square, a sudden change occurred.

The bamboo horse bloomed with radiance, suddenly turning its head, and with the momentum of Mount Tai pressing down, stepped toward the position where Zhao Xing was.

Two people on the field instantly discovered the true strength of the bamboo horse.

The first was Hu Yang; as a mechanical master, he naturally wouldn't be unfamiliar with it, because the bamboo horse itself was a type of mechanical beast, and one of the most classic ones at that.

Ordinary bamboo horses, even at the third-rank high grade, find it hard to give birth to powerful spirituality, but the bamboo horse Yang Junxiong rode not only gave birth to spirituality but was also very fierce.

Having galloped on the battlefield with its master for many years, it had transformed into a "War Soul"!

In battle after battle, the bamboo horse War Soul had also gained powerful combat instincts, and its combat power was equivalent to its master's!

Yang Junxiong ranked up on the mountain, and the spiritual War Soul within the bamboo horse also improved.

It was equivalent to both man and horse being ranked!

The second person to discover something was wrong was Du Jiaojiao; her Bright Eyes had reached the ninth turn. When Yang Junxiong left the bamboo horse, a phantom of Yang Junxiong actually appeared on the bamboo horse's back.

In her sensing, two ranked-level auras appeared!

Yang Junxiong's separation of man and horse was clearly prepared in advance.

If the mountain cat wanted to stop him, the bamboo horse would severely injure Zhao Xing, and if he went to save someone, he could take the incense into the shrine.

On the last night, he finally stopped hiding and revealed his true trump card.

"Rumble~"

The bamboo horse stepped through the air, as if with the momentum of thousands of troops.

Zong Shichang and the people beside him felt their breathing suffocate; a heavy pressure covered them, and his legs were trembling.

Fortunately, there was a clerk from the shrine beside him who felt the existence of the War Soul and, in an instant, took Zong Shichang and exploded backward.

But the others seemed to have no time to react, or were pressed in place by the bamboo horse's momentum, unable to move.

Just when everyone thought Zhao Xing was in great danger, a calm and unhurried voice appeared:

"Don't come back to save me, focus on fighting that big guy."

"Hmm? Under the influence of the War Soul's evil spirit, he can still speak?" Yang Junxiong glanced from the corner of his eye and discovered Zhao Xing standing tall, completely unaffected.

"A mere soldier, dare to call yourself a War Soul?!" Zhao Xing had floating clouds above his head, his five fingers toward the sky, and his body instantly erupted with thunder light.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle~"

Strips of purple lightning suddenly emerged from his fingertips and quickly combined in an arcane trajectory, forming five nooses.

It was his self-created spell, Thunder Noose!

"Go!"

The Thunder Noose danced, as if a nimble thunder snake, heading straight for the War Soul.

"Kill!"

The War Soul phantom swept its spear to sweep across thousands of troops, but this Thunder Noose was incomparably flexible and didn't entangle with the War Soul, but whipped at the bamboo horse instead.

"Boom!" Purple light and red light collided, and the evil spirit was instantly weakened by three points.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom!"

Five consecutive noose lashes, the speed was extremely fast, so fast that people couldn't react.

The bamboo horse War Soul could be considered experienced, but it swung its spear five times in a row, yet only two spears actually interfered with the Thunder Noose.

The other three were all bypassed.

This is the wonder of the Yin-Thunder Method. Unlike the rigid force of the Thunder Palm, the Yin-Thunder is extremely fast and incredibly agile. After touching the long spear, it did not dissipate; instead, with a light flick, it looped around the neck of the bamboo horse.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle~"

Sparks were instantly generated where the thunder and bamboo horse entangled, the bamboo horse's speed was instantly greatly reduced, and its galloping momentum was blocked.

"What?!" Yang Junxiong was greatly shocked. He had thought the mountain cat might block his bamboo horse, but never expected that a ninth-rank Yuan Gathering Si Nong like Zhao Xing could have a way to block it.

It was just this moment of distraction, "Bang!" Yang Junxiong felt a heavy blow to his chest, and his whole person couldn't help but fly backward.

Mountain cat secret technique, Wind-Control Heavy!

It was the mountain cat using its two hind legs to kick fiercely at his chest; the Wind-Control Heavy kick, borrowing the power of the wind, this kick's force was astonishingly large!

"Evil beast!" Yang Junxiong's eyes were sinister; he no longer paid attention to the bamboo horse and focused on dealing with the mountain cat.

The heart-protecting mirror on his chest already had some cracks; if he was distracted again, he was afraid he would be severely injured by the mountain cat.

"This..." Du Jiaojiao stopped.

Although she was a woman, she was chivalrous and had known Zong Shichang since childhood; seeing him in danger, she couldn't just ignore it.

But she didn't expect the situation to change so quickly.

Yang Junxiong's bamboo horse War Soul actually didn't work!

Five nooses locked the bamboo horse, and the evil spirit on the War Soul was much weaker.

"War Soul Burn!"

"Step on a Thousand Mountains!"

Seeing it was trapped, the knight phantom on the bamboo horse raised its spear high, the bamboo horse raised its front hooves, and then fell fiercely, stirring up a terrifying wave of air.

War Soul and bamboo horse, together performing a secret technique, the wild and unbridled knight wanted to break free from the chains.

"Snap!"

One of the thunder chains was actually snapped!

"Let's see how many you can break!"

Thunder light flashed in Zhao Xing's eyes, and his left hand also raised up together.

Actually, three more thunder chains were generated!

Having robbed so many spiritual items, among which there was no lack of Yuan Law spiritual items, the Thunder Noose had already reached the eighth turn!

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!"

Three thunder chains quickly locked the horse's head, pulling the bamboo horse that was raising its head down alive.

The mid-level secret technique "Step on a Thousand Mountains" hadn't been fully performed before it was interrupted.

"Yin wind! Rise!"

A gust of Yin wind blew from the ground, heading straight for the War Soul on the horse's back.

Previously, due to the obstruction of the evil spirit, it was hard for the Yin wind to blow directly onto the War Soul's body.

But now, trapped by the Thunder Noose, the evil spirit was also much weakened; applying the Yin wind again could take advantage of the weakness.

"Whoo-hoo~"

Although it was just a gust of wind, the War Soul on the bamboo horse felt as if it had been doused with a basin of cold water.

The evil spirit flames circling around the War Soul instantly lost more than half, becoming dim and lusterless!

The Yin wind spell targeted the soul; although it couldn't directly severely injure the War Soul, its offensive was completely blocked, completely losing its momentum for attack.

"Thunder Giant Palm!"

Taking advantage of the bamboo horse and War Soul being trapped, Zhao Xing performed the third spell again.

A purple palm suddenly flew out from the floating clouds above his head; this palm was only the size of a normal palm when it first flew out, but when it flew into the air, its size increased violently.

When it landed on the bamboo horse's head, it was actually four meters long and one meter thick!

The Thunder Giant Palm slapped down fiercely.

It crashed onto the War Soul's head.

"Bang!"

The bamboo horse fell, the War Soul roared, and it smashed fiercely onto the square, imprinting a large pit.

The seventh-turn Thunder Giant Palm was incomparably fierce; the War Soul was actually smashed into half.

Thunder magic could also injure the soul, especially the fierce Yang Thunder, which had an amplified lethality against this kind of pure soul body.

Zhao Xing first used the Thunder Noose to weaken the War Soul's evil spirit protection, then used the Yin wind to weaken the War Soul's strength; now this slap immediately had a miraculous effect.

"No!" Yang Junxiong's eyes were about to split, and he rushed toward the bamboo horse like a madman.

That was a War Soul he had cultivated after ten years of hard fighting on the battlefield; now it was about to be destroyed by someone, which was simply taking his life.

"Meow!" The mountain cat flashed forward and kicked, instantly kicking Yang Junxiong away again.

Its speed was too fast; the God-Speed talent made the mountain cat's speed look down on the ninth rank.

Yang Junxiong couldn't possibly get past the mountain cat's hands.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!!!!"

The thunder sound was endless, and the purple palm took the opportunity to slap wildly.

In the blink of an eye, the bamboo horse War Soul had eaten several big slaps.

Terrifying thunder sounds rang out on the Altar Square, and the onlookers couldn't help but retreat.

Actually, many people didn't understand the battle situation, because if Bright Eyes wasn't at full level, one couldn't see the War Soul.

But Zhao Xing's Thunder Noose and Giant Palm could be observed.

The mid-level thunder magic reaching the seventh or eighth turn level had a terrifying momentum; ordinary thunder would make people jump, let alone mid-level fierce thunder magic.

"What kind of thunder magic is this, how is it so domineering?!"

"I've never seen this kind of thunder magic, it can actually form a palm?"

"Sigh, I wasn't defeated unjustly."

Cao Qiushui watched this scene, a deep sense of powerlessness rising in his heart; originally he had thought his cultivation base had soared, perhaps he had narrowed the distance a bit.

Now it seemed that the distance hadn't narrowed but was getting wider and wider.

The strong remain strong; Zhao Xing's encounters on this Spirit Mountain were unknown how many times more than his.

"Bang!"

With the last strike, the War Soul was directly smashed.

The previous miraculousness instantly dissipated.

The luster on the bamboo horse disappeared, dropping from third-rank high grade to third-rank low grade.

Noose locks the bamboo horse, thunder shatters the War Soul!

After Yang Junxiong's mark was worn away, Zhao Xing pulled lightly, and this bamboo horse stood before him; it had become an ownerless object.

"Pfft!" Yang Junxiong spat out a mouthful of blood.

He had originally only been barely resisting the mountain cat; now his square inch was in chaos, and he could no longer resist, being scratched in the chest and abdomen by the mountain cat's Thunder-Splitting Claw.

"Pfft~" The claw flashing with thunder tore through his chest armor, even scratching a blood mark on Yang Junxiong's chest.

"Bang!" The mountain cat kicked with its hind legs, and Yang Junxiong's body fell outside the square, unconscious.

The wind vanished and the thunder dispersed; the square was silent.

Everyone looked at this scene, their eyes full of shock.

The knight Yang Junxiong, who had won the first incense for two consecutive nights and was arrogant, had been defeated just like that.

And even after releasing his trump card, he was defeated so thoroughly.

"I can understand that he couldn't fight the mountain cat, but how could the War Soul Bamboo Horse be defeated by a Si Nong who hasn't ranked up?"

Hu Yang muttered to himself, looking at the bamboo horse that had lost its spirituality, unable to help but feel lost. He knew the ferocity of mechanical beasts, but the result made him unable to accept it.

Doesn't that mean Zhao Xing could also easily defeat his few mechanical beasts?

"This guy..." Lu Qian's eyes flashed with horror. "How exactly did he practice? The Four Methods of Heaven and Time, could it be he is proficient in everything?"

"Sister Jiao, do the three of us still have a chance to snatch the first incense?!"

A glimmer of brilliance flashed in Du Jiaojiao's eyes, eager to try.

But then she shook her head again.

"Unless you two, Qian'er and Qing'er, can raise the power of [Da Shao] by another level, and coordinate with me, perhaps we could fight."

"Raising it by another level, and we can only fight?" Liu Muqing also shook her head; that meant there was no hope.

However, she still leaped into the air with her spear.

Although she knew in her heart she couldn't win, the martial heart is brave and moves forward; how could she be afraid before fighting? Du Jiaojiao still had to try.

"Mountain cat, she wants to snatch your toy, kick!"

"Meow!" Just as Du Jiaojiao leaped into the air, she saw a black shadow fly over, kicking fiercely with its hind legs. Caught off guard, Du Jiaojiao only had time to hold her spear horizontally to resist.

"Bang!" The silver spear bent, pressing against Du Jiaojiao's conscience; she flew back to the ground at a faster speed, her feet shaking with pain.

Wind-Control Heavy was a mid-level seventh-turn secret technique, and the mountain cat itself was an exotic species; even as a cub after ranking up, its power was astonishingly large.

"Meow-woo!" The mountain cat walked with cat steps, arching its back to intimidate.

It seemed to be saying that whoever dared to ascend to the sky and snatch its toy would be beaten.

The mountain cat looked silly when it was fierce, but everyone on the square was incomparably terrified.

Two ranked experts had actually been kicked down by the mountain cat.

What breed is this?!

"Can't win, the mountain cat's speed is too fast; Yang Junxiong couldn't defend, and I can't defend either." Du Jiaojiao was open-minded after trying once. "It's not a problem of technique, but the innate advantage of the exotic beast."

Even Du Jiaojiao gave up; naturally, no one on the square dared to compete.

Everyone retreated a bit, waiting for Zhao Xing, this newly promoted strongest person, to speak.

Zhao Xing hadn't spoken, and the others didn't dare to ask.

The winner takes all; now, however many sticks of incense he said he would occupy, he would occupy. How long he wanted to wait, everyone could only wait with him.

Not just the hostile competitors, even his "own people"—Uncle Hu, Uncle Cang, Uncle Yuan—were intimidated and didn't dare to come forward to disturb him.

It was Young Master Zong who couldn't hold back his temper and asked: "Zhao Sanjia, ten sticks of incense, how do you plan to arrange them? If you don't take them, no one dares to take them."

Zhao Xing pondered: "I and Shen Zhui will occupy the first and second; for the rest, Young Master Zong, you look and take them."

They had to go down the mountain at dawn; occupying a few more sticks of incense was of no use.

Zong Shichang had also used up his silver notes, and he couldn't exchange anything with him anymore; there was no need to be so mercenary, everyone still had some friendship.

"Good, then I'll speak for you?"

"Hmm."

Zong Shichang got a chance to show off and immediately made a full show of it.

He stood with his hands behind his back, struck a pose he thought was dashing, ran under the incense, and performed wind magic, letting his voice spread everywhere.

"For the incense of the gods, Brother Zhao and I will take eight sticks; the remaining two sticks will be for those who are capable!"

Having said that, Zong Shichang rolled up the wind and took the eight sticks of incense in mid-air into his arms.

The others dared to be angry but didn't dare to speak.

Others didn't dare to say anything, but Du Jiaojiao's side wasn't happy. Lu Qian shouted at Zong Shichang: "Zong Eighteen, it wasn't your battle record, what are you acting like a big tail wolf for?!"

Unexpectedly, Zong Shichang ran over and said with a grin: "How could I forget you? Here, these are three sticks of incense; I helped you take them down, so you don't have to jump for them."

Seeing this, Lu Qian immediately said sarcastically: "Yo, you're so kind that you could think of me and Sister Jiao? It's not for Qing'er, is it?"

Zong Shichang was exposed and couldn't help but blush, secretly looking at Liu Muqing.

Du Jiaojiao glared at Lu Qian and then bowed to Zong Shichang: "Thank you, Brother Zong. I wonder what Zhao Xing has to say about the order of entering the shrine?"

Zong Shichang said: "He is naturally the first incense, the second incense is for Shen Zhui, oh, that is the martial artist who chased Gu Feng earlier."

"What about the ones after?" Lu Qian asked.

"Naturally, I will arrange it."

"Then how do you want to arrange it?"

"I want Miss Liu to be the third to enter."

"Ho, Zong Shichang, you really are harboring lustful thoughts, and you still say it's not for Qing'er!"

"……"

While Zong Shichang was chatting there, Shen Zhui also returned to the square.

His iron ruler and body were stained with blood, but it wasn't his own.

"Is Brother Shen okay?"

Shen Zhui untied the bow from his back: "I didn't fail the mission; I helped you avenge that arrow."

An archer treats their bow as their life; now that Gu Feng's longbow had been taken by Shen Zhui, even if he hadn't lost half his life, he wasn't far from it.

"Good bow, Brother Shen is mighty."

This person is reliable; Zhao Xing had only said that he was hurt by Gu Feng's cold arrow during the day and asked him to drag Gu Feng for a while.

Never expected the other party to be so hardworking, directly snatching Gu Feng's bow.

If an archer's bow is snatched, they are either dead or crippled.

Shen Zhui carried the bow on his back again: "How did the incense competition turn out? Has it started?"

Zhao Xing smiled: "It's already over, just waiting for Brother Shen to enter the shrine."

"Ah? It's over?"

?ttkan?co

In some astonishment, Shen Zhui took the incense stick Zhao Xing handed over.

"Brother Shen, please enter the shrine to offer the first incense."

Shen Zhui shook his head: "Don't, I had already broken my promise, and now I haven't really helped much; the first incense should be offered by you."

At that time at Chen Shijie's mansion, Zhao Xing was willing to share half of the two pears; Shen Zhui had always remembered it. He already felt he owed Zhao Xing, so how could he be willing to offer the first incense?

"Good, then I will enter first, Brother Shen second."

Zhao Xing, mountain cat, Shen Zhui—two men and one beast, all had ranked combat power. After setting the order of entering the shrine, no one dared to object.

After descending from the Altar, the first eight people entered the shrine in order.

They were Zhao Xing, Shen Zhui, Liu Muqing, Du Jiaojiao, Lu Qian, Zong Shichang, Uncle Cang, Uncle Hu.

The other two sticks of incense were snatched by Hu Yang and Cao Qiushui.

As for those behind, they could only honestly snatch the second wave of incense.

Inside the shrine.

"Si Nong clerk Zhao Xing, seeks the True Person to manifest holiness."

Whoosh~

Smoke curled, the surroundings became dark, as if the Yin spirit of a giant appeared before Zhao Xing's eyes.

"You ask this True Person to manifest holiness, what do you seek?"

Zhao Xing bowed and said: "Seek the True Person to bestow a high-grade spiritual item."

"You won the first incense, you should have this opportunity. This True Person will send you over; whether you can grasp it depends on yourself."

"Thank you, True Person."

Another gust of smoke blew past, bringing along the mountain cat, as well as the bamboo horse and other items, all wrapped in smoke. Zhao Xing felt he was no longer in the same place.

Looking again, he actually appeared on the edge of a cliff.

"Meow~" The mountain cat called out, its eyes somewhat puzzled; why did it suddenly appear here?

"There's a high-grade spiritual item here?" Zhao Xing was also somewhat puzzled; he hadn't had a "sudden inspiration" sense.

Looking around, a familiar feeling welled up.

"This position... isn't this the place Yang Junxiong came to earlier?"

At that time, when Zhao Xing was farming at the foot of the mountain, he had seen Yang Junxiong riding a bamboo horse jumping in the mountain stream.

Zhao Xing discovered he had also come to this position.

"Could it be that Yang Junxiong was looking for that high-grade spiritual item?"

Seeking a high-grade spiritual item with the first incense doesn't mean it's directly handed to you, or you're told the location, or you're told the method of taking it.

Zhao Xing was able to find the Luck Golden Cup because he first discovered the place and had already found the high-grade spiritual item, just unable to take it.

The fifth stick of incense asked for the method of acquisition, and the premise was passing the test.

"Yang Junxiong looked for two nights, could it be he didn't succeed?"

"It seems wanting to obtain this high-grade spiritual item is a bit difficult." Zhao Xing thought to himself.

In a few more hours, they would all have to go down the mountain.

He didn't have another chance to offer incense and ask.

"Yang Junxiong jumped around in the mountain stream, relying on this bamboo horse." Zhao Xing turned over and rode on the bamboo horse. "I'll try it too."

The bamboo horse could help people soar and leap; although it couldn't fly for a long time, it could jump quite far.

Although it had dropped in rank, its auxiliary functions were still there, just without the War Soul.

"Giddyap!" Zhao Xing clamped his legs, and the bamboo horse instantly had wind under its feet, running toward the cliff. As the bamboo horse leaped, his figure soared into the air.